CHINA TOPIX

Ruble Woes Rattle Russian Markets, Buyers

Raymond Legaspi   |

Dec 17, 2014 11:35 PM EST

Russian President Vladimir Putin faces a major new challenge after a catastrophic fall in the value of the ruble, which hit a new low Tuesday despite the Central Bank's desperate efforts to halt the selling. On the streets of Moscow, panicky consumers rushed out to buy home appliances before they became even more expensive.